Wednesday, February 18, 2009

food week, day 3: supper (dinner)

Hey, it's that pantry picture again! There are some green lentils in that third jar, and that is the main ingredient in today's recipe. Speaking of lentils, something lovely came in today's mail...

My photo, published in Flavor (oooh, it's hard to spell that without a "u") magazine! I'm pretty tickled.

So, on to dinner! Lentil Sloppy Joes it is! I love this dinner (I guess I use both 'supper' and 'dinner') because it's super easy, quick, healthy, and the flavour of the dish is much more than the sum of it parts. Having the lentils done up beforehand is key. It's a crockpot recipe, so you come home to an amazing-smelling kitchen, too. I copied the recipe from a library book, and now I've forgotten the name of the book. It's something about vegetarian slow cooker recipes. Here it is:

Lentil Sloppy Joes

1 tbsp vegetable oil (I use olive)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup water (I use a lot more (probably 1 1/2 cups) - it tends to burn with too little water)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups cooked brown or green lentils, drained and rinsed
hot pepper sauce (optional)
toasted hamburger buns

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for one minute. Stir in ketchup, water, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and mustard. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Add lentils and stir well.

2. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until hot and bubbling. Add hot pepper sauce to taste, if using. Ladle over hot toasted buns and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

9 comments:

Sebrina Wilson said...

this sounds great! My kids love lentils!

Barb said...

Congrats on your published photograph. Barb xo

Anonymous said...

wow that is a wonderful jar of lentils image...you are so talented !
ELK

Suds to Love said...

Ohh that sounds really good.

Stacey J. said...

Congrats on the published photo!!!! That's wonderful!!!

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a wonderful vegan recipe! Thank you - we'll have to try it.

You make the beans look so beautiful in those jars!

Sarah C said...

Ooh - sloppy joes without meat! I just might be able to sell TC on those. Thanks Sherrie!

Alli said...

I wish I had a slow cooker!! It'll be on my b-day wish list!

madelyn said...

Congrats on the published pic! good stuff!